Natives ordered to hold referendum

Injunction in place

An injunction against logging CP-16, an 80 ha site above Anderson Lake, will be in place until N’Quatqua band council takes the issue to referendum.

Provincial Court Judge Ian Pitfield gave Chief Harry O’Donaghey and council 60 days to put the question to the N’Quatqua people.

In the meantime, the injunction won by the Voices of the Old Growth Alliance protestors will remain in place, blocking access to the forested area they claim was contracted out without consultation.

Speaking for the protest group, Karen Thevarge said more than the logging issue will be at stake in the referendum.

"There are a lots of other things at stakes," said Thevarge. "Do we want the company? It’s a logging company only in name. All the equipment has been sold off."

Chief O’Donaghey, sole shareholder of the logging company, sold off the company’s physical assets nearly two years ago, to one of the parties engaged in the contract to log CP-16.

Thevarge points out that many of the contracts and agreements chief and council have entered into are very confusing.

"That’s why we’re questioning it," she said.

The formal version of that questioning has come in the form of repeated requests to the band council for information pertaining to forestry agreements. To date no documents have been provided to the protestors, the majority of whom are band members.

Chief and council were not available for comment on the continued injunction and prescribed referendum.